{"id":20309,"date":"2026-02-24T18:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T18:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/?p=20309"},"modified":"2026-02-24T18:08:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T18:08:13","slug":"nikon-70-200mm-f-2-8-vr-s-ii-hands-on-first-impressions-wolf-in-sheeps-clothing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/?p=20309","title":{"rendered":"Nikon 70-200mm f\/2.8 VR S II Hands-On First Impressions: Wolf in Sheep&#8217;s Clothing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"fluid-iframe\" style=\"max-width: 800px;\">\n<p><iframe title=\"Nikon Made It Faster, Sharper, AND Lighter!\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zsHU8hGkeyY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary is located just outside of Calgary, and does amazing work housing and rehabilitating these amazing wolf hybrids that often prove too much for owners to handle. We took the $3,199 pre-production Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 VR S II lens out to see how it handles this dynamic location.<\/p>\n<p>Although it is sad that many of these beautiful animals become neglected or unwanted, the Yamnuska Sanctuary provides a natural outdoor habitat for them to live in, and it also gives photographers an authentic location to photograph animals that are up to 80 or 90 percent wolf. If you ever find yourself in the area, Yamnuska Sanctuary is well worth the trip. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840828\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840828\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" data-perfmatters-preload=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-In-Hand-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"A man with gray hair and a beard is outdoors, holding a camera with a large lens up to his eye, appearing to take a photo on a sunny day.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-In-Hand-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-In-Hand-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-In-Hand-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-In-Hand-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840828\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The more compact and lightweight Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 is here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Nikon 70-200 f\/2.8 S II Hands-On First Impressions: Smaller and Lighter<\/h2>\n<p>Walking around the sanctuary, I definitely noticed the new 70-200mm to be lighter than the first version. The lens comes in at about 41.6 ounces (1,180 grams) with the tripod collar attached, but I love that you can completely remove this collar and put on an alternate sleeve instead, which brings the weight down to a paltry 35.2 ounces (998 grams) without the extra bulk. <\/p>\n<p>The tripod collar is also cut for Arca-Swiss-style tripod heads for added convenience. It\u2019s important to state that this lens also takes the Nikkor teleconverters, and I committed heavily to the 2x converter for my time with the lens. I did this because we weren\u2019t able to fully test sharpness because our sample was pre-production, but at least I would get a good idea of detail from my sample shots, and also because the wolf-dogs are in a natural environment and cannot be called to. The 400mm equivalent focal length out of the 2X converter was absolutely essential to get most of the tighter photos.  <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840830\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840830\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-TCon-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a person\u2019s hand holding a Nikon camera with a NIKKOR 70-200mm f\/2.8 S lens and a Nikon Teleconverter 2.0x attached. The camera and lens details are clearly visible.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840830\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-TCon-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-TCon-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-TCon-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-TCon-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840830\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I tried to really test out the 70-200mm lens with teleconverters on this excursion.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840821\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840821\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Cosmetic-Cover-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"A person wearing a dark jacket holds a large black telephoto camera lens outdoors, with both hands supporting the lens; the background is blurred and sunlit.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840821\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Cosmetic-Cover-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Cosmetic-Cover-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Cosmetic-Cover-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Cosmetic-Cover-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840821\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">I like that you can take off the tripod collar altogether and reduce the overall weight.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840824\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840824\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Foot-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a camera lens with labeled control buttons and textured grip, mounted on a tripod with a blue base.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840824\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Foot-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Foot-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Foot-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Foot-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840824\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The tripod foot is cut properly for Arca-Swiss heads.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This is absolutely a professional-grade lens, so everything is tight and fully weather-sealed. There is a smooth manual focus ring, plenty of customizable buttons adorn the chassis, and the usual focus limiter and AF\/MF are easy to locate. There is a customizable control ring as well, which I found very useful as an aperture control ring. <\/p>\n<p>The hood has a push-button locking mechanism, and there is now a window to allow you to turn polarizing filters. You can mount any 77mm diameter filters to the front of the lens. The 70-200mm also includes image stabilization rated at six stops. All of these features fit neatly into a chassis that still manages to be 12mm shorter than the previous model. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840825\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840825\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Front-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up of a person holding a Nikon camera, with the focus on the large camera lens. The person's face is partially visible behind the camera. The background is blurred, suggesting an outdoor setting.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Front-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Front-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Front-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Front-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840825\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The front coatings are improved to handle flare, and the lens is ruggedly weather-sealed.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840820\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840820\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Click-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up view of a hand holding a Nikon camera lens, focusing on the lens controls, including a switch labeled &quot;CLICK ON\/OFF.&quot; The background is softly blurred.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840820\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Click-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Click-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Click-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Click-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840820\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">You can customize this control ring in many ways, and you can set it to have clicks or smooth functionality.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840826\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840826\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Hood-Door-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a black camera lens set against a clear blue sky, showing detailed texture, ridges, and buttons on the lens barrel.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840826\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Hood-Door-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Hood-Door-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Hood-Door-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Hood-Door-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840826\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The lens hood is very light, and it has a special cutout to work polarizing filters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Nikon 70-200 f\/2.8 S II Hands-On First Impressions: Faster and Better<\/h2>\n<p>We couldn\u2019t quite test everything on the lens due to its pre-production nature, but we still could test a fair amount, and autofocus speed was the main priority. The first version of this lens had excellent optical performance, but the autofocus speed really held it back. The stepping motor was not fast enough to compete with contemporary lenses. However, the new version uses a voice-coil linear actuator, and the speed is so much better. Nikon\u2019s Silky Swift engine is just that in the new lens, with fast response times and silent functionality. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840802\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840802\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A gray wolf with thick fur stands in a sunlit, dry grassy area, looking directly at the camera with alert, bright eyes. Trees and dried vegetation are visible in the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8259.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840802\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The autofocusing is fast and silent, which is ideal for wildlife.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840801\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840801\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A light gray wolf with thick fur stands outdoors, looking directly at the camera. Bare trees with pale bark are visible in the blurred background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8251.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840801\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We always have a wonderful time testing lenses at the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8268-533x800.jpg\" alt=\"A black and white photo of a wolf standing alert in a forest, surrounded by tall grass and trees, with sunlight filtering through the background.\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8268-533x800.jpg 533w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8268-213x320.jpg 213w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8268-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8268.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Nikon is throwing the gamut of lens coatings at this professional zoom with Nano Crystal coatings, ARNEO coatings, and the latest Meso-Amorphous coatings. It doesn\u2019t matter what fancy jargon is being used here, because the flare control is excellent. There is no real loss of contrast shooting at f\/2.8, and ghosting is minimal at tighter apertures. This lens will handle bright conditions and direct light sources without any nasty reflections or color washes taking away from the images. LoCA, or longitudinal chromatic aberrations, are also kept to a minimum, so you don\u2019t have to worry about any color fringing in the out-of-focus areas of your images. Nikon is doing a great job at avoiding color issues with this latest lens. <\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840822\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840822\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Flare-Comparison-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Side-by-side photos of leafless trees under a bright sun in a blue sky. The left image is labeled \u201c70mm @ f\/2.8\u201d; the right, \u201c70mm @ f\/16.\u201d The sun appears softer on the left and has rays on the right.\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840822\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Flare-Comparison-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Flare-Comparison-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Flare-Comparison-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-Flare-Comparison-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840822\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Flare is really well controlled. There is only the slightest ghosting present at tighter apertures.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Leafless tree branches with pale bark reach upward against a clear, vibrant blue sky, creating a stark contrast between the trees and the background.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8329.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8286-533x800.jpg\" alt=\"A large, fluffy wolf or husky-like dog with light fur lies on the ground, head resting on its front paw, gazing off to the side. The image is in black and white.\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8286-533x800.jpg 533w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8286-213x320.jpg 213w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8286-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8286.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Close-up functionality does add to the overall versatility of this lens. You can get quite close at the 200mm range with tons of working distance and still get about a 1:4 macro ratio out of the lens. Go to the 70mm end, and you can get slightly closer with a ratio of about 1:3.3 at the expense of some working distance. For the occasional detail shot or tight portrait picture, this new lens can take care of you.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840807\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840807\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a realistic painting or sculpture of an animal\u2019s eye, possibly a wolf or a large dog, with detailed fur texture and a bright amber iris reflecting light.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840807\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8421.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840807\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The close focusing and macro capability of the 70-200mm lens is adequate, but not extraordinary.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up of dry, delicate plant stems with small white flowers in focus, set against a blurred background of a memorial wall engraved with names.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8462.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Snow-capped mountains rise behind rolling golden hills with scattered trees and a small building, under a partly cloudy blue sky.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840808\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8436.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Bokeh is going to be an important feature for both action and wildlife, as well as portrait pics. The transitions look very smooth as the focus falls away, but I did notice some busyness in the specular highlights. You get a nice swirl effect at f\/2.8, but the highlights have noticeable onion rings within. I did find the backgrounds to have a slight look of harshness to them, and I didn\u2019t expect to see that. Stopping the lens down maintains nice round shapes with any highlights in the frame, and this lens is still very useful for shallow depth of field pictures.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_840814\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-840814\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of modern spherical metal light fixtures with warm, glowing bulbs inside. The background shows blurred lights, creating a soft bokeh effect with circular patterns.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"size-large wp-image-840814\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8705.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-840814\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bokeh is decent but the onion rings present are more severe than expected.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A person\u2019s hand feeds a brown goat with large curved horns and a long beard over a wooden fence. The background is a plain, peach-colored wall.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840811\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8659.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8612-533x800.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a wolf\u2019s face, showing its golden-brown eyes, grey and white fur, and black nose in sharp detail. The background is blurred, focusing attention on the wolf\u2019s intense gaze.\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840810\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8612-533x800.jpg 533w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8612-213x320.jpg 213w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8612-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8612.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8702-533x800.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up of a goat with blue eyes, brown and white fur, two curved horns, and a long white beard, standing outdoors with a blurred background.\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8702-533x800.jpg 533w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8702-213x320.jpg 213w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8702-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8702.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\"\/><\/p>\n<h2>Nikon 70-200 f\/2.8 S II Hands-On First Impressions: Sleek and Expensive<\/h2>\n<p>Nikon has made a beautiful lens and a worthy successor to the 70-200mm line. The autofocus improvement is huge, and I loved the more compact design of this new lens. Although we couldn\u2019t fully test sharpness with our test charts, my sample images show that the detail and clarity are easily present. <\/p>\n<p>Most of my shots were at f\/5.6 through the 2x teleconverter, and I was still impressed by the level of detail, so I have no doubt that this will be a sharp lens. It\u2019s also an expensive lens at $3,199, although this puts it mostly in line with the Canon pricing for a similar lens. In fact, it is the highest price we\u2019ve seen so far for a Nikkor 70-200 f\/2.8 zoom, which might very well push people towards the older version, or the more affordable 70-180mm f\/2.8 option. <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8378-533x800.jpg\" alt=\"A close-up of a white wolf with amber eyes, looking alert and focused, surrounded by dry brown grass and twigs.\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840815\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8378-533x800.jpg 533w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8378-213x320.jpg 213w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8378-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8378.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8509-Copy-533x800.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up black and white photo of a wolf's face, focusing on its eye and fur texture. The image captures the animal's intense gaze and detailed patterns in its coat.\" width=\"533\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8509-Copy-533x800.jpg 533w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8509-Copy-213x320.jpg 213w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8509-Copy-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8509-Copy.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"A light-colored wolf lies on the ground in a sunlit forest, surrounded by dry grass and trees with textured bark. The wolf appears relaxed and is looking alertly into the distance.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-840817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/DSC_8634-Copy.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Regardless, I had a fun time using the latest Nikon lens offering, and it worked great as a general-purpose portrait and action lens. I don\u2019t often get to test these lenses with teleconverters, so this was a great opportunity to see how the new 70-200mm could handle them. Part of the versatility of a professional lens like this is its ability to transition from a fast telephoto to a versatile super telephoto lens without more than a compact teleconverter in the camera bag. Nikon now has an updated and capable pro zoom, which should please the most ardent photographers. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary is located just outside of Calgary, and does amazing work housing and rehabilitating these amazing wolf hybrids that often prove too much for owners to handle. We took the $3,199 pre-production Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 VR S II lens out to see how it handles this dynamic location. Although it is sad [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/petapixel.com\/assets\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Nikon-70-200mm-In-Hand-800x450.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-20309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20309"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20309\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20309"},{"taxonomy":"offerexpiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creatorkitdepot.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fofferexpiration&post=20309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}